


April Foolishness

by mergatrude



Category: due South
Genre: Challenge Response, F/M, Gen, M/M, Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-30
Updated: 2012-03-30
Packaged: 2017-11-02 17:49:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/371705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mergatrude/pseuds/mergatrude
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A handful of poems I wrote for prompts in the first <a href="http://ds-aprilfools.livejournal.com/620.html">ds_aprilfools</a> challenge, 2007</p>
            </blockquote>





	April Foolishness

**Prompt #1 - last thoughts**  
The last thought  
he had  
as  
he pushed through  
the doors  
and went out, into  
the night  
black car, into the  
night, was  
 _I hope I live, Benny!_

**Prompt #2 - Slow and Steady; F/K**  
Winter nights are long, the fire burns low,  
The embers fall into a steady glow.

From the couch, I see through the window  
The steady burning stars above the snow-

Capped mountain range. We climbed it long ago.  
Age steadied us, now we simpler pleasures know:

You lie here with me, my chest your pillow;  
Your breathing steadies, your heartbeat becomes slow.

**Prompt #4: full-contact sport**  
It's the bruised look in his eyes that gets to me the most.  
He looks bad, but part of that's because  
we're not used to seeing his pretty face all beat up.  
I mean, I've seen worse. I've had worse:  
a boot in the ribs from a druggie cracked two of them;  
a well-aimed pipe wrench broke my arm.  
It's a full contact sport, sometimes, this job -  
boxing got me cut up and bruised, but  
the adrenaline keeps you going,  
keeps you from feeling it.  
At least until later.  
All these things get better with time and Tylenol.  
But bruises to the soul, now they take something more.  
Like maybe friends and colleagues rallying round;  
Like his partner standing by him, no matter  
how much of a pain he's being.  
Like me maybe letting him know he's a freak,  
but I wouldn't want him any other way.

[[notes](http://mergatrude.livejournal.com/92875.html) for _full-contact sport_ ]

**Prompt #6 - Necktie**  
Not that being in your arms isn't wonderful, but  
Eventually we need to stop this dance, because I  
Can't decide whether to  
Kiss you or strangle you. Again.  
Today  
Is no  
Exception. 

_[Stella, during Strange Bedfellows. An acrostic.]_

**Prompt #07 - Caress**  
Careless yet  
Artful,  
Ray breathes evenly, allowing  
Each  
Stroke to  
Soothe them both 

**Prompt #9 - Jealousy**  
 _Odds_

Blast  
Fall  
Close  
Call  
Smooth  
Talk  
Slick  
Walk  
Wide-  
Eyed  
Short  
Ride  
Grasp  
Haul  
We  
Fall  
Close  
Cards  
Glass  
Shards  
I  
Cede  
You  
Breathe 

**Prompt #10 – Like a girl**  
Because she knows everything anyway,  
he feels stupidly shy and awkward, shifting nervously  
in the face of her loving smile, and says,  
"Mum, I like a girl." 

o0o 

"Stella!"  
All the fight's gone out of him  
now he's here alone.  
The door's shut on the world.  
There's nothing left for him to push against,  
no one to see him crying like a girl. 

o0o 

Seems like maybe you never grow up.  
Or maybe mums never lose their superpowers.  
He feels nervous and awkward, 'cos  
she obviously already knows, hugging him  
when he tells her the person he loves  
is nothing like a girl. 

**Prompt #12 - Off The Map**  
On the road he feels  
Fearless, in control, while  
Fraser, flushed, hangs on. 

Trapped in stifling furs  
He's blind to everything but the sheer  
Exhilaration 

Mass times  
Acceleration equals  
Partnership 


End file.
